Department for Transport

East Coast Rail Franchise

lord bassam of brighton: To ask Her Majesty's Government whether ministers took into account current or past performance as a criteria when awarding Virgin Trains East Coast the East Coast franchise; and if so, what weight was given to performance criteria.

baroness sugg: Past performance is evaluated for all prospective franchisees at the Pre-Qualification stage when suppliers are short listed for a competition. For the East Coast competition, this was set out in the Pre-Qualification Questionnaire which was published in October 2013. The evaluation criteria for the award of the InterCity East Coast franchise are set out in the Invitation to Tender which was published in March 2014. The Invitation To Tender sets out five Delivery Plans, each of which contains a series of requirements against which bids were evaluated, with appropriate weightings. Contract award was made following an evaluation of bids against these requirements.

Concrete: Equipment

baroness randerson: To ask Her Majesty's Government what assessment they have made of the case for regulations to control the use of mobile concrete batching plants similar to those that apply to standard mobile concrete mixers.

baroness randerson: To ask Her Majesty's Government what assessment they have made of the risks posed to other road users and pedestrians from the use of mobile concrete batching plants.

baroness sugg: The Government is not aware of any particular risks to pedestrians or other road users associated with mobile concrete batching plants. In addition, it is considered that local authorities have sufficient powers under existing legislation to control the placement of such obstructions in the highway. For this reason, it has not been thought necessary to carry out an assessment of risk to road users or the case for increasing regulation in this regard.

Railways: Season Tickets

baroness randerson: To ask Her Majesty's Government, in the light of the Passenger Rail Usage 2017–18 Q2 Statistical Release by the Office of Rail and Road showing that fewer people are buying rail season tickets, what assessment they have made of the impact of that reductionon the revenues of train operating companies.

baroness sugg: Whilst the latest quarterly statistics published by the Office of Rail and Road (ORR) for the second quarter of 2017-18 show a small decrease in the number of season tickets purchased, the statistics also show that train operating company revenue has continued to increase year on year.

Crossrail Line

baroness randerson: To ask Her Majesty's Government what assessment they have made of the impact of the electrical explosion at Pudding Lane on (1) the completion date for the Elizabeth Line, and (2) the cost of that project.

baroness sugg: The completion date for the Elizabeth line remains unchanged. The central section is scheduled to open in December 2018, with full Elizabeth line services commencing in December 2019. Further detail on the overall cost and schedule position will be provided in the next annual update to Parliament, in June 2018, if not before.

Department for Business, Energy and Industrial Strategy

Modern Working Practices Review

lord bassam of brighton: To ask Her Majesty's Government what is their proposedtimetable for the latest consultation on the Taylor Review; and when they intend to bring forward legislation to implement the Review.

lord henley: We have published four separate consultations following the Taylor review: employment status; agency workers; enforcement; and transparency. These consultations are running for approximately three months to the beginning of June 2018. We will respond to the consultations after they close and set out our plans in more detail there including any decisions regarding legislation.

Financial Reporting Council

baroness bowles of berkhamsted: To ask Her Majesty's Government, further to the Written Answer by Lord Henley on 1 February (HL5095), for which periods, from 2004, the word “required” was used in the factsheet accompanying notices requesting payment by the Financial Reporting Council; and when, and for what reason, the wording was changed to “requests”.

lord henley: Fact sheets for the preparers levy were used from 2009/10 when the preparers levy was extended to cover large private companies and public sector organisations. The fact sheets used the word “required” in explaining the rates applied to different categories of preparers. They also included similar wording to that included in the 2018/19 fact sheet which was placed in the Library of the House in response to question HL5095. This makes clear that the Financial Reporting Council collects the levy from all preparers on a voluntary basis. The word “required” was replaced with the word “requested” to improve clarity in 2018/19.

Financial Reporting Council

baroness bowles of berkhamsted: To ask Her Majesty's Government, further to the Written Answer by Lord Henley on 1 February (HL4990), what factors made it reasonable to expect that reclassification of the Financial Reporting Council would occur; and what assessment they have made in this respect of internal correspondence from the Office of National Statistics on 6 February 2007 which stated that “Since then there have been a few 'false starts' and a lot of wasted time on the classification of the FRC. We have now been approached three times to consider the classification of the FRC under new arrangements. On the first two occasions (August 05 then May 06) we have put the case document together and been almost ready to consult NACC when the request has been 'pulled' because the arrangements 'might be changing. (Usually following requests for further information from us that might have lead them to believe that a public sector classification would result)'; and HMT are not happy with the way DTI / FRC are taking this forward and we cannot consider the classification further until arrangements have been finalised.”

lord henley: Up to 2014, the assessment of the Financial Reporting Council’s classification was undertaken based on consideration of the categories set out in the European System of Accounts 1995. This was replaced by European System of Accounts 2010, which is what was used when the Office for National Statistics considered FRC’s status in 2014 and confirmed it as a public body within central government.

Financial Reporting Council: Public Appointments

baroness bowles of berkhamsted: To ask Her Majesty's Government, further to the Written Answer by Lord Henley on 22 January (HL4661), in assessing the transparency of the process of reappointing Sir John Sunderland to the Board of the Financial Reporting Council, what account they took of the fact that he was reappointed by the Temporary Nominations Committee (TNC), as set out in Freedom of Information Act (FOIA) request ONS/FOI/2017/3410 in late 2017; whether the existence of the TNC had been made public prior to the release of that FOIA response; if so, when; and what was the composition of the TNC at the time of Sir John’s reappointment.

lord henley: The Financial Reporting Council (FRC) consulted on proposed governance changes in 2007 including the role of the Temporary Nominations Committee (TNC). The role and work of the TNC was then reported in the FRC’s 2007/08 Annual Report. On 5 June 2007 the Appointing Group appointed the following to the TNC:- the FRC Chair, Sir Christopher Hogg;- two members of the then Board: Paul Druckman and Barbara Thomas Judge; and,- 10 other senior representatives of private sector stakeholders: Alastair Clark, Richard Dyson, Douglas Ferrans, Keith Jones, Lucy Neville-Rolfe, Michael Pomery, Sir Nigel Rudd, Gerald Russell, Miles Templeman and Tony Watson.- Elizabeth Filkin was also appointed to the TNC as assessor. The processes and functions of the TNC were endorsed by the Department for Business, Energy and Regulatory Reform (BERR). BERR considered the reappointment of Sir John Sunderland to the Board of the FRC followed a fair and transparent process.

Foreign and Commonwealth Office

Legislatures

lord jopling: To ask Her Majesty's Government, in relation to each of (1) the Parliamentary Assembly of the Council of Europe, (2) the NATO Parliamentary Assembly, and (3) the Organisation for Security and Co-operation in Europe Parliamentary Assembly, (a) how many full members from the UK there are, (b) how many peers serve as full members, (c) what percentage of the total number of delegates those peers represent, and (d) what percentage of the total costs is represented by those peers.

lord ahmad of wimbledon: There are 18 full members of the UK Delegation to the Parliamentary Assembly of the Council of Europe (PACE) and the NATO Parliamentary Assembly. Four of the PACE delegation are peers, 22.2% of the total, five of the NATO delegation are peers, 27.8 %. There are 13 full members of the UK Delegation to the Parliamentary Assembly of the Organisation for Security and Co-operation in Europe, three of whom are peers, 23.1% of the total.The allocation of places and costs for peers is decided by the political parties in Parliament.Further details of the delegations are available at: https://www.parliament.uk/mps-lords-and-offices/offices/delegations/The British Government welcomes and encourages the role our national Parliamentarians play in contributing their expertise more widely across the world. In international and regional organisations they underline the UK's commitment to a rules-based international order.

Religious Freedom

baroness cox: To ask Her Majesty's Government how the contents of meetings between the Stabilisation Unit and religious and other groups about freedom of religion or belief is disseminated across Government.

lord ahmad of wimbledon: The Stabilisation Unit works with Government Departments to help facilitate cross-government conflict assessments, which seek to understand the key characteristics of conflicts. Freedom of religion or belief is considered as part of this framework where there are causes, actors or dynamics of the conflict related to religious beliefs. These internal cross-government analyses are owned and commissioned by Government Departments and often inform wider Government programming and policy making.

Religious Freedom

baroness cox: To ask Her Majesty's Government what use they intend to make of the Stabilisation Unit’s work on freedom of religion or belief in the establishment of UK Aid Connect consortia.

lord ahmad of wimbledon: The Stabilisation Unit's (SU) cross-government conflict assessments analyse the key characteristics of conflicts. These analyses are not normally externally available due to classification issues, and as such will not be available to the consortia selected through the UK Aid Connect programme. The consortia will therefore be encouraged to use the best analysis available to develop coherent and effective programmes of work.

Religious Freedom

baroness cox: To ask Her Majesty's Government how the contents of the series of round-table meetings on freedom of religion or belief hosted by the Foreign and Commonwealth Office will be disseminated across Government; and what impact they anticipate it having on Government action overseas.

lord ahmad of wimbledon: ​I have hosted two roundtables to date. The first roundtable on 23 October 2017 looked at Burma in the light of the Rohngya crisis. The second roundtable on 12 December examined the role of women in tackling religiously motivated violent extremism. These roundtables have been excellent opportunities for myself and officials to hear the perspectives of faith leaders whose insights contribute to increasing their overall awareness and policy-making capacity. The meetings will also serve as a platform to inform the Freedom of Religion or Belief (FoRB) work plan that we are developing.

Armed Conflict: Sexual Offences

lord hague of richmond: To ask Her Majesty's Government how many Foreign and Commonwealth Office staff worked full time on the Preventing Sexual Violence Initiative in (1) 2015, (2) 2016, and (3) 2017; and how many such staff are currently working on the Initiative.

lord ahmad of wimbledon: In 2015, there were seven staff working full time on the Preventing Sexual Violence Initiative (PSVI). In 2016, there were four members of staff working full time. In 2017, there were three staff working full time. Currently, we have a core team of three staff working full time in London, as well as surge capacity to support specific activities. In addition, PSVI work is mainstreamed and taken forward by staff around our network of posts, who advance the PSVI as part of a broader portfolio, for example, via the UK’s National Action Plan on Women, Peace and Security 2018-22, which staff in a number of missions have recently helped launch.

Armed Conflict: Sexual Offences

lord hague of richmond: To ask Her Majesty's Government what was the budget for the Preventing Sexual Violence Initiative (PSVI) in (1) 2016, and (2) 2017; what is the current budget; and how PSVI work has been organised within the Foreign and Commonwealth Unit since July 2016.

lord ahmad of wimbledon: In the financial year 2016-17, £2,969,379 of policy programme funds from the Foreign and Commonwealth Office core budget were spent on the Preventing Sexual Violence Initiative (PSVI). In that financial year, a further £8,056,685 was spent from the cross-Government Conflict, Stability and Security Fund (CSSF) on our wider work on Gender, Peace and Security, including work to further the PSVI. In the current financial year, 2017-18, the Foreign and Commonwealth Office policy programme fund allocation for PSVI work is £2,463,466. An additional £7,435,423 has been allocated from the cross-Government CSSF on Gender, Peace and Security.PSVI work is handled by the PSVI Team, which sits within the Gender Equality Unit (GEU). The GEU was formed on 9 October 2017, bringing together the four officials who since July 2016 had worked on PSVI, with other colleagues dealing with various aspects of gender equality, including Women, Peace and Security, other gender in conflict issues, women’s rights and LGBT rights, but who until then had been working in different FCO Departments. Officials in GEU now work closely together to ensure a coherent approach to gender equality, responding flexibly to emerging requirements, to deliver a foreign policy which consciously and consistently delivers for women and girls around the world.

Armed Conflict

lord hague of richmond: To ask Her Majesty's Government what assessment they have made of the role of the Women, Peace and Security commitments under (1) United Nations Security Council Resolution 1325, and (2) the Preventing Sexual Violence Initiative, in the UK’s foreign policy.

lord ahmad of wimbledon: In formulating policy the Government takes full account of the commitments we have made in the context of the Women, Peace and Security (WPS) agenda, flowing from UNSCR 1325, and of the Preventing Sexual Violence in Conflict Initiative. In January, together with the International Development Secretary and the Minister for the Armed Forces, I launched the fourth National Action Plan on Women, Peace and Security for 2018-2022, which focuses on what we can deliver internationally through diplomacy, development, and defence. The International Development (Gender Equality) Act (2014) binds us to integrate gender into all Overseas Development Assistance (ODA) including the CSSF Multilateral Strategy Fund and in other strategic funds with an ODA content. The UK continues to work to amplify women's voices and to support their educational, economic and political empowerment. We promoted the participation of women in political and mediation processes in Burma, Democratic Republic of the Congo (DRC), Syria, Somalia, Colombia and Yemen and strengthened the role of women in the security forces in Somalia and Afghanistan. We provided services to survivors of gender based violence in DRC, Syria and Somalia and launched a campaign on tackling the stigma of sexual violence globally bringing together survivors, experts, local governments, civil society, media and faith groups. The Government remains wholly committed to the WPS agenda, including ending sexual violence in conflict, and continues to work on mainstreaming gender throughout foreign policy.

Armed Conflict: Sexual Offences

lord hague of richmond: To ask Her Majesty's Government when the Foreign Secretary last raised the Preventing Sexual Violence Initiative with his international counterparts.

lord ahmad of wimbledon: The Foreign Secretary last raised sexual violence and the Preventing Sexual Violence Initiative with the Burmese government during his visit to Burma on 11 February 2018.

Armed Conflict: Sexual Offences

lord hague of richmond: To ask Her Majesty's Government when the Foreign Secretary last met with the Steering Board of the Preventing Sexual Violence Initiative.

lord ahmad of wimbledon: The Foreign Secretary has not met the Steering Board of the Preventing Sexual Violence Initiative. It is the Prime Minister's Special Representative on Preventing Sexual Violence in Conflict (PMSR) who chairs the Steering Board. In my capacity as the PMSR, I chaired a meeting of the Steering Board on 13 September 2017. I look forward to chairing the next meeting of the Steering Board in the spring.

Armed Conflict: Sexual Offences

lord hague of richmond: To ask Her Majesty's Government what are their goals for the planned meeting in 2019 to review commitments made at the 2014 London Summit to End Sexual Violence in Conflict; and what resources they have devoted to that meeting.

lord ahmad of wimbledon: The goals of this meeting are to make progress on ending stigma in at least three priority countries; help secure justice and accountability for survivors in at least three countries; and, develop and agree more measures to prevent sexual violence in conflict, including through military training, engagement with the media and religious/faith leaders. The Foreign and Commonwealth Office will work with a range of stakeholders to deliver this, including Preventing Sexual Violence Initiative champion countries, parliamentarians, implementing partners, civil society and international organisations, including the office of the UN Special Representative of the Secretary General, Pramila Patten.

Embassies

baroness helic: To ask Her Majesty's Government whether they plan to open any new UK diplomatic posts overseas; and, if so, where.

baroness helic: To ask Her Majesty's Government whether they plan to close or downsize any UK diplomatic posts overseas; and, if so, where.

lord ahmad of wimbledon: We regularly review our overseas presence to ensure that we are represented through a modern, dynamic and adequately resourced overseas network. Any opening or closure of UK diplomatic missions would be made public including through the FCO Annual Report.

EU Countries: Embassies

baroness helic: To ask Her Majesty's Government what plans they have to increase the number of (1) UK national, and (2) local, staff at British embassies in EU member states; and whether those plans will have implications for staffing levels of UK diplomatic posts in other countries.

lord ahmad of wimbledon: Since the vote to leave the EU we have strengthened our diplomatic network in Europe by creating 50 new Foreign and Commonwealth Office (FCO) diplomatic positions in our Embassies in Europe. The FCO is developing proposals to make £4.2 million of savings to fund the 50 new jobs in Europe and balance the FCO budget during this Spending Round. Savings will come from changing the way we work in some locations, for example how we provide security and facilities management, getting better value from our estate, and using better IT to support more flexible operating models, as well as from some staff savings in Asia, the Americas and Africa.

Armed Conflict: Sexual Offences

baroness helic: To ask Her Majesty's Government which British embassies currently have active projects under the Preventing Sexual Violence Initiative; and whether they will detail what those projects entail.

lord ahmad of wimbledon: Foreign and Commonwealth Office (FCO) posts are delivering the following activity (broken down by country) under the Preventing Sexual Violence Initiative (PSVI) in this financial year, using (a) policy programme funds from the FCO core budget:PostActivity DetailAfghanistanTackling and reducing Sexual and Gender-Based Violence (SGBV), tackling stigma against survivors, advancing women’s rightsBosnia and HerzegovinaIncreasing access to justice, care, empowerment and reparations for survivorsBurmaIncreasing awareness of women’s rights and how to investigate and document sexual violence in accordance with the International Protocol, increasing access to health and psychosocial support and security services for survivors of sexual and domestic violenceCentral African RepublicTraining judiciary/legal professionals to enhance their knowledge and understanding of PSVI, giving practical support to the Office of the Attorney General to develop specialised investigation capacity for sexual violence crimesColombiaTackling stigma, empowering victims, national work with journalists/media to transform attitudes towards gender-based violence and reduce stigma for victims of sexual violenceDemocratic Republic of CongoSupporting public outreach events and media communications to counter sexual violence, building local capacity for criminal accountability and victim supportIraqTraining to increase understanding of the impact of SGBV in conflict on society as a whole, supporting capacity and action plans of human rights working groups established by the Embassy focused on PSVI, economy and education aimed at assisting empowerment of womenKosovoPsychological and social support for survivors, justice and reparation programs; training for stakeholders; awareness campaign to change attitudes and behaviours; supporting the process of documentation and investigation of sexual violence during conflictRwanda/BurundiGreater domestic and international awareness of sexual violence in Burundi, increasing access to justice for survivors of sexual violenceSyriaRaising awareness of sexual violence, facilitating psychosocial support and medical services for survivors, facilitating measures to document, report and store data related to sexual violenceand (b) the cross-Government Conflict, Stability and Security Fund (CSSF) (the following projects supporting the Preventing Sexual Violence Initiative, implemented as part of wider work on Gender, Peace and Security)PostActivity DetailAzerbaijanStrengthen women’s securityLibyaCapacity building to civil society organisations working on women's issuesNigeriaReintegration of Survivors of sexual violenceSomaliaSupporting victims of sexual violenceSouth SudanPreventing violence and building safer communitiesSyriaCommunity-based approach to tackling sexual and gender based violenceUkraineIntegrated response to end gender-based violenceWider Eastern Europe/Central Asia RegionStrengthening national gender-based violence preventionWider Middle East and North Africa RegionHuman rights and conflict prevention in particular PSVI, core support to the UN Action for Preventing Sexual Violence and to the UN Special Representative of the Secretary General on Sexual Violence in Conflict’s Team of Experts

Kashmir: Armed Conflict

lord hussain: To ask Her Majesty's Government what assessment they have made of the recent increase in ceasefire violations between India and Pakistan over the Line of Control in Kashmir Region, resulting in a number of civilian casualties.

lord ahmad of wimbledon: The British Government is naturally concerned by reports of increased terrorism and violence between Indian and Pakistani troops in Kashmir. We are monitoring the situation closely and call for both sides to exercise restraint.

Kashmir: Armed Conflict

lord hussain: To ask Her Majesty's Government what action they are taking to support military de-escalation over the Line of Control in Kashmir, and to support a permanent and peaceful resolution of the Kashmir dispute.

lord ahmad of wimbledon: ​The UK's longstanding position is that it is for India and Pakistan to find a lasting political resolution to the situation in Kashmir, taking into account the wishes of the Kashmiri people. We encourage India and Pakistan to maintain positive dialogue and good relations, but the pace of progress must be for them to determine.

Egypt: Human Rights

lord hylton: To ask Her Majesty's Government what discussions they are having with the government of Egypt on (1) the withdrawal of a bill to criminalise same-sex relationships, (2) restrictions on lawyers and non-governmental organisations in Egypt, (3) government control over the media, including websites, (4) harassment of women, (5) academic freedom, including at the American University in Cairo, (6) judicial independence, (7) the situation of those in pre-trial detention and the alleged large number of people convicted of political offences, and (8) pending death sentences.

lord ahmad of wimbledon: Foreign and Commonwealth Office (FCO) Ministers consistently raise issues relating to human rights with the Egyptian authorities. In June 2017, the Foreign Secretary issued a statement of concern about the non-governmental organisation law, arrests of political activists and the blocking of news websites. The Minister for the Middle East and Africa raised restrictions on civil society with Foreign Minister Shoukry and Interior Minister Ghaffar during his visit to Cairo in August last year. We have called for the release of journalists and political detainees who remain imprisoned, and for the review of mass judicial decisions. We have also raised our concerns about reports of torture and mistreatment in detention, including through our interventions at the UN Human Rights Council, and in the FCO's Human Rights Priority Country reports. On LGBT rights, the Egyptian government is well aware of our concerns regarding the current situation. We continue to call on the Government of Egypt to uphold and protect the rights of all minorities in the country.

Turkey: Syria

lord hylton: To ask Her Majesty's Government what assessment they have made of the extent to which the government ofTurkey’s claim to a “buffer zone”, 30 kilometres deep in northern Syria, is compatible with NATO policy; and if not, what action they will take to prevent the establishment of such a zone.

lord ahmad of wimbledon: ​The UK, like NATO, recognises the right of Turkey to secure its border in a proportionate manner, while ensuring protection of civilians and consideration of their humanitarian needs. The UK has been clear that we recognise Turkey's legitimate security interests, and we are committed to working with all allies and partners on solutions that provide stability and help to de-escalate the situation.

Turkey: Syria

lord hylton: To ask Her Majesty's Government whether theyintend toinvestigate reports of the use in Turkey of (1) cluster weapons, and (2) napalm, on two Syrian hills known as Qustal Jandu and Kafri Kar.

lord ahmad of wimbledon: We are monitoring the situation in Afrin closely and carefully consider any reports of breaches of International Humanitarian Law or the Law of Armed Conflict. The Government will investigate any credible, substantiated reports of the use of banned or treaty limited munitions, including cluster munitions or napalm, in Afrin and elsewhere in Syria.

Turkey: Syria

lord hylton: To ask Her Majesty's Government whether they have evidence that the government of Turkey is using Leopard tanks supplied by Germany to support its invasion of northern Syria.

lord ahmad of wimbledon: It is a matter of public record that Turkish Army Leopard 2 Tanks have been used as part of the Turkish operation in Northern Syria. The UK is aware of these reports.

Hamed bin Haydara

lord hylton: To ask Her Majesty's Government what representations, if any,they have made to the de facto authorities in Sana'a, Yemen, seeking clemency for Hamed bin Haydara, following the decision of the Special Criminal Court in Sana'a to sentence him to death by public execution because of his political and religious beliefs.

lord ahmad of wimbledon: As the Minister for Europe and the Americas said in his response to the urgent question on this issue on 11 January, we strongly condemn Mr bin Haydara's death sentence, and the continued persecution of Baha'is in Yemen for their religious beliefs. We continue to work closely with our partners, including the European Union, to raise this issue directly with the de facto authorities in Sana'a, and have sought to raise the profile of Mr bin Haydara's situation through public diplomacy.

EU Defence Policy

lord stoddart of swindon: To ask Her Majesty's Government what consideration they are giving to the implications of the EU’s plans for a European Defence Union for the role of NATO, in any discussions on future UK–EU defence cooperation after the UK leaves the EU.

lord ahmad of wimbledon: The details of our future security partnership with the EU are subject to negotiation, which we expect to begin soon.As outlined in the Government's Future Partnership paper on Foreign Policy, Development and Defence, published on 12 September 2017, NATO will remain the cornerstone of our defence. However, the EU has an important defence and security role, both in its own right and in partnership with NATO and others.We remain firmly opposed to any measures that remove or undermine the sovereignty of nations over their armed forces, or lead to competition and duplication with NATO. Going forward, our objective is to ensure that the EU's contribution to defence and security is complementary to, and respects the central role of, NATO.

Israeli Settlements

baroness tonge: To ask Her Majesty's Government whether they havemade any assessment of the economic, environmental and heritage damage caused to Palestinians by the destruction ofancient olive trees by Israeli settlers.

lord ahmad of wimbledon: We are aware of the difficulties facing Palestinian olive growers. We have expressed our serious concerns to the Israeli Government and security officials about the destruction of olive trees and the prevention of access to them on a number of occasions.

Marah Bakeer

baroness tonge: To ask Her Majesty's Government what representations they have made to the government of Israel regarding theeight and a half year sentence given to 17 year-old Marah Bakeer, who was arrested on 10 October 2015.

lord ahmad of wimbledon: ​Whilst we have not raised this specific case with the Israeli Government, we regularly discuss matters concerning the treatment of Palestinian minors in detention with the Israeli authorities.

Department for Exiting the European Union

Borders: Northern Ireland

lord eames: To ask Her Majesty's Government what assessment they have made of the future significance of the border between Northern Ireland and the Republic of Ireland if the UK leaves the EU customs union.

lord callanan: We have been clear throughout that we are firmly committed to avoiding any physical infrastructure on the land border between Northern Ireland and Ireland. The principles in the Joint Report from the UK and EU negotiators are a welcome agreement on this crucial issue. We have reached a balanced set of commitments that reiterate both our commitment to avoid a hard land border, and our clear position on preserving the constitutional and economic integrity of the UK.

Brexit

lord pearson of rannoch: To ask Her Majesty's Government whether, prior to the Prime Minister’s letter of 29 March 2017 notifying the European Council, in accordance with Article 50(2) of the Treaty on European Union, of the UK’s intention to withdraw from the EU, they gave any consideration to the possibility of withdrawing from the EU in accordance with Article 50(1) without being bound by Articles 50(2) and 50(3); and if not, why not.

lord callanan: The United Kingdom is a law abiding country. We have made undertakings and commitments which we will honour. The country voted to leave the EU, and this Government respects that. A smooth and orderly exit is in the interest of both the UK and the EU.

Customs Unions

lord allen of kensington: To ask Her Majesty's Government what assessment they have made of the benefits and possibility of time-limited extensions on key parts of the EU customs union once the UK has left the EU.

lord callanan: The Government has made clear that the UK is leaving the Customs Union. By leaving the Customs Union and establishing a new and ambitious customs arrangement with the EU, we will be able to forge new trade relationships with our partners around the world, and maintain as frictionless trade as possible in goods between the UK and EU, providing a positive and powerful voice for free trade.

Borders: Northern Ireland

lord taylor of warwick: To ask Her Majesty's Government what assessment they have made of the consequences for the Irish border of being outside a customs union with the EU.

lord callanan: We have been clear throughout that we are firmly committed to avoiding any physical infrastructure on the border between Northern Ireland and Ireland. The principles in the Joint Report from the UK and EU negotiators are a welcome agreement on this crucial issue. We have reached a balanced set of commitments that reiterate both our commitment to avoid a hard border, and our clear position on preserving the constitutional and economic integrity of the UK.

UK Trade with EU

lord taylor of warwick: To ask Her Majesty's Government what assessment they have made of reported concerns amongst EU officials about the UK's proposals for a trading relationship after Brexit.

lord callanan: We are seeking a bold and ambitious economic partnership that is of greater scope and ambition than any such existing agreement. We want to have the greatest possible tariff- and barrier-free trade with our European neighbours, as well as to negotiate our own trade agreements around the world. We have undertaken an extensive programme of engagement. Ministers and senior officials from across Government have been engaging extensively with both the European Institutions and the 27 Member States. We continue to welcome ministers from across Europe to London on a regular basis. We are clear that we want the EU to succeed: a strong and stable EU, with the UK as its closest partner, is in all of our shared interests.

Department of Health and Social Care

Pneumococcal Diseases: Vaccination

baroness greengross: To ask Her Majesty's Government whether they will place in the Library of the House copies of estimates made by the Joint Committee on Immunisation and Vaccination of the number of cases of invasive pneumococcal disease that may result from a reduction in the number of doses in the infant pneumococcal vaccination programme.

lord o'shaughnessy: Public Health England has undertaken modelling on the impact of a reduced dose pneumococcal conjugate vaccine (PCV) schedule in the United Kingdom. The Joint Committee on Vaccination and Immunisation (JCVI) reviewed the modelling in October 2017 and after considering all relevant evidence advised a revised schedule for PCV13 vaccine, with vaccination offered at three months and 12 months.The JCVI is currently undertaking a consultation on their advice, therefore the estimates requested are not yet finalised. The modelling will be submitted for publication in a peer reviewed journal in spring 2018.

Schools: Counselling

lord porter of spalding: To ask Her Majesty's Government what assessment they have made of the effectiveness of in-school counselling to successfully deliver early interventions across children’s and young people’s mental health services in England.

lord o'shaughnessy: School-based counselling can play an important role as part of wider support for the mental health of children and young people. This includes reducing psychological distress that children and young people may experience as a result of facing a range of life difficulties, supporting young people who are having difficulties within relationships with family or friends, and supporting young people who are having difficulty managing their emotions, such as anger. Many pupils report improvements in their capacity to study and learn following counselling and frequently report that counselling helps them to concentrate, as well as increasing motivation for school and schoolwork. As part of its CYP-Improving Access to Psychological Therapies programme, NHS England supported Higher Education Institutions to deliver training to enhance the effectiveness of counsellors in delivering evidence-based early interventions for mental health. In 2016/17, 14 counselling therapists were trained to work in a variety of settings and this year a further 13 will be trained to treat anxiety and mild depression. This training is being delivered by two training providers.

NHS: Royal Commissions

lord stoddart of swindon: To ask Her Majesty's Government whether they have any plans to appoint a royal commission on the NHS; and, if not, why not.

lord o'shaughnessy: There is currently no plan to establish a Royal Commission. The Government has made clear that the long term sustainability of the National Health Service is a key priority and is backing the NHS’s Five Year Forward View plan with a £10 billion a year real terms increase in funding by 2020/21.In the November Budget, the Government committed to backing the NHS in England further so that by 2019/20 it will have received an additional £2.8 billion of revenue funding for frontline services than previously planned over the period. This included £337 million this winter to help trusts to increase capacity.It also committed £3.5 billion of new capital investment by 2022/23 to transform its estate and drive further efficiency savings.In addition, for other core NHS services, such as mental health and primary care, the Department of is making a further £540 million available through the NHS England Mandate over the coming financial year.We are actively working with NHS England and national partners to use the period covered by the Five Year Forward View to put in place the necessary steps for the future.

Nurses

lord willis of knaresborough: To ask Her Majesty's Government how many nurses on the Nursing and Midwifery Council register are State Enrolled Nurses.

lord o'shaughnessy: The information requested is not collected by the Department. The Nursing and Midwifery Council is the independent regulator of nurses and midwives in the United Kingdom and is responsible for nurse and midwifery registration.

Nurses: Prescriptions

lord willis of knaresborough: To ask Her Majesty's Government how many nurses on the Nursing and Midwifery Council register are qualified as nurse prescribers.

lord o'shaughnessy: The information requested is not collected by the Department. The Nursing and Midwifery Council (NMC) is the independent regulator of nurses and midwives in the United Kingdom and is responsible for nurse and midwifery registration. The NMC reports that as at 31 January 2018, 73,209 nurses on its register were qualified as nurse prescribers.

Hospitals: South East

lord bassam of brighton: To ask Her Majesty's Government how many vacancies exist for (1) nurses, (2) junior doctors, and (3) consultants, in NHS Trust hospitals in (a) Sussex, (b) Surrey, and (c) Kent.

lord o'shaughnessy: The information is not available in the format requested.

Hospital Beds

lord naseby: To ask Her Majesty's Government what was the total number of NHS hospital beds on 31 March in (1) 1992, (2) 1997, (3) 2002, (4) 2007, (5) 2012, and (6) 2017.

lord o'shaughnessy: Information is not available in the format requested. Data is not collected on the total number of beds. Since April 2010 NHS England collects quarterly data from all National Health Service organisations on available overnight and day only beds and the total number of occupied bed days by consultant led specialty, excluding critical care beds.Prior to 2010-11 bed data was captured through an annual return collecting bed information by ward classification.A table showing the numbers of these NHS hospital beds is attached owing to the size of the data.



HL5493 table
(Word Document, 41.07 KB)

NHS: Drugs

lord pendry: To ask Her Majesty's Government what steps they intend to take to address the reported practice of drugs manufacturers supplying unlicensed medicines or special orders to the NHS at an inflated cost.

lord o'shaughnessy: Our priority is to ensure that patients have access to safe and effective medicines. For unlicensed medicines known as ‘specials’, reimbursement arrangements are in place that provide value for money in the majority of instances. No company should exploit the National Health Service. That is why the Department will lay new regulations in the next few months that will require all specials manufacturers to provide information to the Department related to their sales. This will provide more transparency about the costs of specials and make our reimbursement arrangements more robust.

Department for Education

Pupil Exclusions

lord hylton: To ask Her Majesty's Government how many children (1) temporarily, and (2) permanently, excluded from school in England, have been provided with alternative education in each of the last three years; and what was the average proportion of those excludedwho wereprovided with alternative education.

viscount younger of leckie: The information regarding exclusions can be found in the National Statistics release ‘Permanent and fixed-period exclusions in England 2015 to 2016’. The information can be found in Table 1 of the national tables, attached.The department does not hold statistics showing the alternative provision that pupils moved to when excluded. There are legal duties on schools and local authorities to provide suitable full time education from the sixth day of a fixed-period or permanent exclusion.The duties on schools and local authorities to provide alternative provision, and the standards that this should meet, are also set out in statutory guidance attached.



Alternative Provision Statutory guidance
(PDF Document, 408.08 KB)




Permanent and fixed period exclusions 
(Excel SpreadSheet, 25.95 KB)

Pupils: Personal Records

lord storey: To ask Her Majesty's Government what are the confidentiality requirements for core pupil data in schools.

lord agnew of oulton: Schools have a legal duty under the Data Protection Act and the General Data Protection Regulation to ensure that any personal data they process is handled and stored securely. The Information Commissioner’s Office (ICO), the regulatory body established to uphold information rights, is responsible for overseeing compliance with these requirements for all public bodies (including schools). The ICO provide further information on data security at: https://ico.org.uk/for-organisations/guide-to-data-protection/principle-7-security#blank.

Office for Students: Public Appointments

lord storey: To ask Her Majesty's Government what are the powers and responsibilities of members of the board of the Office for Students.

lord agnew of oulton: The Higher Education and Research Act (HERA) 2017 established the Office for Students (OfS) to be the new regulatory body for higher education providers in England (http://www.legislation.gov.uk/ukpga/2017/29/contents/enacted). HERA confers specific powers, duties and responsibilities on the OfS, as a ‘body corporate’. These include the duty to maintain a register of English higher education providers, and powers and duties to impose conditions of registrations on these providers. They also have the duty to assess the quality of, and standards applied to, education provided by registered providers. Additionally, they have the power to delegate functions in relation to the assessment of quality and standards; approve access and participation plans; and authorise degree awarding powers and to grant university title. HERA confers specific responsibility on the OfS’s Director for Fair Access and Participation to oversee the performance of the organisation’s access and participation functions. Including approving access and participation plans, identifying and advising on good practice relating to the promotion of equality of opportunity. The Director will also be responsible for reporting to the other members of the OfS Board on the performance of these functions. The OfS must also have regard to guidance, which will be issued by my right hon. Friend, the Secretary of State for Education. In this guidance, we intend to set out certain areas of work, which we would like the Chair and his fellow board members to focus on. Such as achieving a smooth transition from the Higher Education Funding Council for England regime, establishing and maintaining the new register, and reviewing providers’ approaches to widening access and participation. The OfS and my right hon. Friend, the Secretary of State have agreed that certain other responsibilities will fall to the Chair and Chief Executive. For example, the Chair will report to the minister and ensure that the OfS’s policies and actions support the government’s wider strategic policies. The Chief Executive, as Principal Accounting Officer, will be responsible for the day-to-day operations and management of the OfS, particularly with regard to the management of public funds.

Ministry of Justice

Prisoners

earl attlee: To ask Her Majesty's Government, further to the reply by Lord Keen of Elie on 8 February, what the “certified capacity of the prison population” refers to; and whether the prison population has exceeded the Certified Normal Accommodation of the prison system at any time over the last 20 years.

lord keen of elie: Prison capacity is defined using the terms Certified Normal Accommodation (CNA) and Operational Capacity. These terms are defined separately as: CNA, or uncrowded capacity, is the Prison Service’s own measure of accommodation. CNA represents the good, decent standard of accommodation that Her Majesty’s Prison and Probation Service aspires to provide all prisoners; and the Operational Capacity of a prison is the total number of prisoners that an establishment can hold taking into account control, security and the proper operation of the planned regime. It is determined by Prison Group Directors on the basis of operational judgement and experience. The total prison population is in excess of CNA however this total is always below the total operational capacity of the estate.

Personal Injury: Compensation

lord hodgson of astley abbotts: To ask Her Majesty's Government, further to the Written Answer by Lord Keen of Elie on 19 December 2017 (HL3883), when they will set out their views on the way forward in relation to the personal injury discount rate; and why they have not done so already.

lord keen of elie: The Justice Select Committee of the House of Commons published its report: Pre-legislative scrutiny: draft personal injury discount rate clause, on 30 November. The Government had intended to reply to the Committee by 30 January but is not yet in a position to do so. The Government will publish its response to the report and the comments made by stakeholders in relation to the draft legislation together with details of how it intends to proceed as soon as possible after it has reached final conclusions on the way forward.

Ministry of Housing, Communities and Local Government

Households

lord green of deddington: To ask Her Majesty's Government what is their estimate of the proportion of future household growth that will be driven by the existing non-UK born population; and to what extent that proportion was taken into account in preparing the 2014-based household projections in England, 2014 to 2039.

lord bourne of aberystwyth: The 2014-based household projections for England took account of net migration and growth of the existing population as shown in the ONS population projections for the same period. The population and household projections are not disaggregated by country of birth.Responsibility for Household Projections transferred from this Department to the Office for National Statistics in January 2017.

Housing Associations: Directors

lord shipley: To ask Her Majesty's Government whether they intend to take steps to require Homes England to publish clear governance standards for housing associations to enforce strong independent director representation and responsibilities in line with those applying to public companies.

lord shipley: To ask Her Majesty's Government whether they intend to take steps to require all housing associations to publish details of director attendance at meetings in their annual reports.

lord shipley: To ask Her Majesty's Government whether they intend to take steps to require Homes England to maintain a formal publicly available register of directors of regulated housing associations.

lord shipley: To ask Her Majesty's Government whether they intend to take steps to require (1) Homes England to report key financial parameters for all housing associations, including (a) board remuneration, and (b) the salary of the highest paid director and chief executive, and (2) that annual returns be made available to the public free of charge.

lord bourne of aberystwyth: Housing associations are independent organisations regulated by the independent Regulator of Social Housing and board members are responsible for ensuring that the provider’s business is effectively managed. The Regulator’s statutory objectives include ensuring that registered providers of social housing are financially viable and properly managed, and perform their functions efficiently and economically. The Government expects housing associations to take a responsible approach that delivers value for money for tenants and taxpayers.To deliver its objective, the Regulator has published a Governance and Financial Viability Standard, which sets out a number of requirements on private registered providers (including housing associations). This includes a requirement that providers:comply with all relevant law, their governing documents and all regulatory requirements. This includes relevant legislation surrounding corporate governance on public companies, and the duties of board membersadopt and comply with an appropriate code of governance, and explain any areas of non-compliance with that code. Private Registered providers are also required to certify compliance with the Governance and Financial Viability Standard in their annual accountsannually assess the effectiveness of their governance arrangements. Under the Regulator’s current approach the content of the annual report is a matter for individual boards of registered providers. This includes whether they wish to include director attendance at their meetings, within their annual reports.The Regulator also has powers to direct private registered providers on the preparation of their annual accounts. Under this Direction, the accounts should contain information on board remuneration and the salary of the highest paid director and chief executive officer.A list of all registered providers is available (attached) at: https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/current-registered-providers-of-social-housing. Information on Directors of companies is available from Companies House, and on the trustees of registered charities from the Charity Commission.The Secretary of State is not able to direct the Regulator on the governance arrangements of housing associations, and the Regulator has no plans to change the current approach.



List of all registered providers
(Excel SpreadSheet, 126.98 KB)

Domestic Abuse: Victim Support Schemes

baroness bertin: To ask Her Majesty's Government what are the terms of reference for their review of the commissioning and funding of domestic abuse services.

lord bourne of aberystwyth: My Department has made a public commitment to undertake a thorough review of funding for domestic abuse services, including refuge, so that we have the best possible evidence on which to make decisions about future, sustainable funding for these vital services.To inform our review we have commissioned an independent, external audit of local authority commissioned domestic abuse services, which will shape the final terms of reference for the review.The review will explore all options for future delivery of domestic abuse services in England, and we are committed to working closely with sector partners, drawing on their data, expertise and knowledge, as we undertake our review.

Housing Infrastructure Fund

baroness byford: To ask Her Majesty's Government whether local authorities in receipt of Marginal Viability Fund monies will be able to insist that the contractors who have planning permission for projects in receipt of those funds will have to build the affordable homes first.

lord bourne of aberystwyth: The Marginal Viability Fund, part of the Housing Infrastructure Fund, will help deliver the infrastructure which is essential to enable the housing to come forward. Affordable housing can be agreed through planning obligations between Local Authorities and developers, via Section 106 agreements. The order in which the homes are built will be up to the developer and local authority to determine on a site by site basis.

Council Housing: Sales

lord bassam of brighton: To ask Her Majesty's Government what is the percentage of former council housing now owned by private landlords, for each local housing authority in England.

lord bourne of aberystwyth: These figures are not held by the department.There are restrictions on selling on a property bought under Right to Buy within five years and under our reinvigorated scheme every additional home sold off must be replaced by an additional one, nationally. Local authorities should deliver these additional affordable homes within three years.

Right to Manage Companies

baroness gardner of parkes: To ask Her Majesty's Government whatplans they have to review the operation of Chapter 1 of Part 2 of the Commonhold and Leasehold Reform Act 2002 in respect of the ability of those exercising the right to manage premises to meet their obligations to manage by applying to the head lessee to allow them to pursue forfeiture of those premises following a court judgment which is unable to be enforced by any legal means presently available to them.

lord bourne of aberystwyth: The Government's Call for Evidence, 'Protecting consumers in the letting and managing agent market', which closed on 29 November 2017, included a question on how it can be made easier for leaseholders to exercise their right to manage. Any changes as a result of the findings to this question may have an impact on the Commonhold and Leasehold Reform Act 2002. An announcement will be made in due course.

Holiday Accommodation: Greater London

baroness gardner of parkes: To ask Her Majesty's Government, further to the Written Answer by Lord Bourne of Aberystwyth on 28 September 2017 (HL1598), what discussions they have had with the Kensington Society about the impact on long-term residential tenants of the growth in the use of properties in London for short-term holiday lets; when the most recent discussions with that Society were held; and what plans they have to gather specific information about this practice.

lord bourne of aberystwyth: The Government has not held discussions with the Kensington Society about the impact of short-term holiday lets on long-term residential tenants. The Government has no current plans to gather information on the use of short-term holiday lets in London but it does monitor broader trends in private rented housing through the English Housing Survey. It is right that Londoners should have similar rights as elsewhere in England and be free to sublet their homes where their tenancy, contract or mortgage allows.

Holiday Accommodation: Greater London

baroness gardner of parkes: To ask Her Majesty's Government, further to the Written Answer by Lord Bourne of Aberystwyth on 25 September 2017 (HL1596), how many London boroughs have sought authority to make a direction to remove the freedom to short-term let for 90 nights from properties in the last year; (1) on how many occasions, (2) in respect of how many properties, and (3) with what outcomes, such authority was sought; what process is available to long-term residential tenants to request that their borough commence that procedure; what obligation boroughs have to respond to any such request; and what efforts they have made to ensure London boroughs are aware of this procedure and have made information about it available to long-term residential tenants.

lord bourne of aberystwyth: Under section 25B of the of the Greater London Council (General Powers) Act 1973, a local authority can seek Secretary of State’s consent to issue a direction that the right to short-term let without planning permission for up to 90 nights in a year is not to apply to particular residential properties or to residential premises situated in a specified area. No London borough has sought a consent in the last year.Directions may only be given if it is necessary to protect the amenity of the locality. This is likely to be where there has been successful action against a statutory nuisance related to short-term letting; or there has been successful enforcement action against a breach of section 25 or 25A of the 1973 Act. If residents consider there are circumstances that would meet the criteria this can be raised with the relevant Borough. These criteria for giving a Direction are set out in the Planning Practice Guidance on the Gov.UK website https://www.gov.uk/guidance/when-is-permission-required Paragraph: 111 Reference ID: 13-111-20160519.

Holiday Accommodation: Greater London

baroness gardner of parkes: To ask Her Majesty's Government, further to the Written Answer by Lord Bourne of Aberystwyth on 2 January (HL4357), what steps they are taking to gather information about how many properties are being used for short-term holiday lets in London; and of those properties already identified,how many are (1) previously long-term rental units, and (2) one bedroom properties.

lord bourne of aberystwyth: The Government does not gather information on how many properties are being used for short-term holiday lets in London. Although it does not hold specific information on short-term holiday lets, it does monitor broader trends in private rented housing through the English Housing Survey. We do not have an estimate of those long-term rental units in London that have changed to or are additionally used for short term or holiday lets in the last five years.

Holiday Accommodation

baroness gardner of parkes: To ask Her Majesty's Government for how many nights in a year a one bedroom property can be rented out on short-term lets without any application for planning permission being made.

lord bourne of aberystwyth: Section 25 of the Greater London Council (General Powers) Act 1973, as amended by section 44 of the Deregulation Act 2015 allows properties in London, which are liable for council tax, to be let out on a short-term basis for a maximum of 90 nights per calendar year without this being considered a material change of use for which planning permission is required (see section 25A of the 1973 Act). If these criteria are not met planning permission is required.

Holiday Accommodation

baroness gardner of parkes: To ask Her Majesty's Government, further to the Written Answer by Lord Bourne of Aberystwyth on 28 September 2017 (HL1597), what plans they have to consult local authorities on the case for a register of short-term holiday let tenants.

lord bourne of aberystwyth: We have no such plans.

Mayors

lord storey: To ask Her Majesty's Government, further to the Written Answer by Lord Bourne of Aberystwyth on 7 February (HL5255), what checks and balances they have put in place to ensure that the actions of directly elected city mayors, other than mayors of the combined authorities, are subject to proper and impartial scrutiny, particularly in cases where the mayor has abolished the Scrutiny Committee.

lord bourne of aberystwyth: Local authority overview and scrutiny committees have powers to investigate executives’ policies and their implementation, call in decisions that have been made but not yet implemented, issue reports and draw attention to shortcomings. The Local Government Act 2000 sets out the statutory scrutiny provisions for principal councils operating executive arrangements. These councils are required to have at least one overview and scrutiny committee.Current legislation recognises that councils have different local needs and circumstances, and different ways of delivering services, and so is deliberately non-prescriptive to allow for bespoke local arrangements.Overview and scrutiny arrangements are just one element of the wider accountability framework for local government. The other key elements include: independent audit, complaints handling and whistleblowing procedures, statutory officers, transparency of information and meetings, and local media.

Ministry of Defence

Syria: Military Intervention

baroness cox: To ask Her Majesty's Government what assessment they have made of thespeech by theUnited States Secretary of State on 17 January, in which he referred to "stabilization initiatives" in liberated areas of Syria; and whether UK military personnel seconded to the Coalition are involved in such initiatives, either in the field or at Coalition headquarters.

earl howe: We welcome the US's ongoing commitment to Syria. The UK will continue to work closely with the US government as part of the Global Coalition, to ensure the lasting defeat of Daesh by preventing the conditions which led to its emergence. In areas liberated from Daesh, the UK is making a significant humanitarian contribution to help meet the immediate needs of the population, for example through supporting de-mining work and the provision of life-saving medical care. At the same time it is important that locally legitimate and inclusive governance is established in these areas. UK military personnel are present in Coalition HQs which support counter-Daesh operations, of which post-conflict stabilisation is a vital part.

Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs

Agricultural Products: UK Trade with EU

lord jopling: To ask Her Majesty's Government whether the statement in their response to thereport by the European Union Committee,Brexit: agriculture(20th Report, Session 2016–17, HL Paper 169)published on 3 May 2017, that "The UK will seek a new customs arrangement with the EU", remains Government policy.

lord gardiner of kimble: Yes. The Government set out its preferred approach to the future customs relationship with the EU in the Future Partnership Paper published on 15 August 2017. https://www.gov.uk/government/uploads/system/uploads/attachment_data/file/637748/Future_customs_arrangements_-_a_future_partnership_paper.pdf.



Future Customs Arrangements
(PDF Document, 271.45 KB)

Home Office

Asylum: Doctors

lord roberts of llandudno: To ask Her Majesty's Government what plans they have to allow asylum seekers with medical qualifications to develop and apply their skills in the UK.

baroness williams of trafford: Asylum seekers are not allowed to work in the UK unless their claim has been outstanding for at least 12 months through no fault of their own. Those who are allowed to work are restricted to jobs on the Shortage Occupation List. This policy is designed to protect the resident labour market so that access to employment is prioritised for British citizens and lawful residents, including those granted refugees status. We have no plans to change this policy. Once granted refugee status there are no restrictions on employment in any sector, subject to meeting the requirements of that profession. Asylum seekers may volunteer in both the public and voluntary sectors, or study, providing they can meet the requirements to enroll on the course and pay the relevant fee. Such activities must not interfere with scheduled events such as a substantive asylum interview, regular reporting event or re-documentation interview. https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/handling-applications-for-permission-to-take-employment-instruction



Permission to work
(PDF Document, 234.73 KB)

Passports: Interviews

lord roberts of llandudno: To ask Her Majesty's Government what arrangements have been put in place to ensure those required to attend passport interview offices are able to afford to do so since the number of offices was reduced in 2017.

baroness williams of trafford: The need to interview passport applicants is limited to an adult applying for their first UK passport (unless identity is in doubt) and as such is a once in a lifetime requirement. Her Majesty’s Passport Office has reduced the number of applicants that have to attend this Interview through the use of outcomes of checks already completed by other Government Departments. When evaluating the number of Interview Passport Offices, Her Majesty’s Passport Office reviewed the home postcodes of applicants and which Interview Passport Office they attended, ensuring that the any proposed alternative journey was reasonable in both time and distance.

Passports: Interviews

lord roberts of llandudno: To ask Her Majesty's Government why they chose to reduce the number of passport interview offices.

baroness williams of trafford: Her Majesty’s Passport Office took the decision to reduce the number of Interview Passport Offices due to a surplus of interview capacity compared to demand.

Asylum: Bahrain

lord scriven: To ask Her Majesty's Government how many citizensof Bahrain applied for asylum in (1) 2016, and (2) 2017.

lord scriven: To ask Her Majesty's Government how many citizensof Bahrain were granted right to stay without having to appeal in (1) 2015, (2) 2016, and (3) 2017.

lord scriven: To ask Her Majesty's Government how many citizensof Bahrain were granted right to stay after appeal of the first decision in(1) 2015, (2) 2016, and (3) 2017.

baroness williams of trafford: The Home Office publishes data on the number of asylum applications, initial decisions and appeals, broken down by nationality, in the quarterly Immigration Statistics publication. The latest figures, up until 30 September 2017, are available at the following link: https://www.gov.uk/government/statistics/immigration-statistics-july-to-september-2017Data for Q4 2017 is due to be published on 22 February 2018.Table as_01_q (asylum tables, vol. 1) contains quarterly breakdowns of the number of asylum applications and grants at initial decision, for main applicants.Table as_14_q (asylum tables, vol. 4) contains quarterly breakdowns of the number of asylum appeals allowed. The appeals allowed figures may include a small number of cases where the asylum application was granted at initial decision, but later appealed against. This may be due to the circumstances of the grant (i.e. discretionary leave/UASC leave rather than asylum).

Immigration

lord taylor of warwick: To ask Her Majesty's Government what assessment they have made of the effect on business confidence of delaying publication of the anticipated Immigration White Paper.

baroness williams of trafford: Our first priority in negotiations was to reach a deal on citizens’ rights, which we did in December. This gives certainty to those EU citizens living in the UK, and UK nationals living in the EU, that they can continue living their lives broadly as now. The joint agreement reached in December confirmed a shared desire to make progress on an implementation period; and that sufficient progress had been made to progress to phase two of negotiations for exiting the EU. Business optimism is driven by confidence in the long-term performance of the economy. Recent CBI survey’s report that UK business confidence remains positive and business investment has continued to grow in recent quarters. The Industrial Strategy, published by my right hon. Friend the Secretary of State for Business, Energy and Industrial Strategy last year, sets out a long-term vision of an economy that boosts productivity and earning power throughout the UK. Our focus now has to be on getting the right deal for the implementation period – the period immediately following the UK’s exit next March. As you would expect, the Government is considering a range of options for the future immigration system and we will set out initial plans in the coming months. That is why we have commissioned the independent Migration Advisory Committee (MAC) to gather evidence on patterns of EU migration and the role of migration in the wider economy, ahead of our exit from the EU.

Cabinet Office

Death

lord alton of liverpool: To ask Her Majesty's Government whatwas the total number of deaths in the UK in each of the last ten years.

lord young of cookham: An error has been identified in the written answer given on 01 February 2018.The correct answer should have been:

The information requested falls within the responsibility of the UK Statistics Authority. I have asked the Authority to reply and I will place a copy of their letter in the Library of the House.


UKSA Response 
(Word Document, 67.5 KB)




UKSA Response 
(PDF Document, 73.31 KB)

lord young of cookham: The information requested falls within the responsibility of the UK Statistics Authority. I have asked the Authority to reply and I will place a copy of their letter in the Library of the House.


UKSA Response 
(Word Document, 67.5 KB)




UKSA Response 
(PDF Document, 73.31 KB)

Carillion: Insolvency

lord tebbit: To ask Her Majesty's Government whether they received any forewarnings of financial difficulties at Carillion PLC.

lord young of cookham: The Government constantly monitors the health of all of its strategic suppliers and reviews its contingency plans as necessary. Carillion publicly issued profit warnings on three occasions.

Carillion

lord bassam of brighton: To ask Her Majesty's Government, further to the Written Answer byLord Young of Cookham on 25 January (HL4735), which Carillion contracts encountered problems withcontinuity and mitigation for service failures; andwhat estimate they have madeof the additional and continuity costs to Her Majesty's Government.

lord young of cookham: Public sector services contracts have maintained continuity without any significant disruption. Construction contracts have had to be made safe and secure and new contractors will be appointed as soon as possible to continue the works. Public sector bodies will continue to pay for the cost of the services that Carillion were providing as they usually would have done to Carillion. HMT have provided working capital to the Official Receiver in order for him to continue to run the public sector services provided by Carillion. Any proceeds from the sales of assets will offset these costs therefore the full cost is not yet known.

Carillion

lord bassam of brighton: To ask Her Majesty's Government further to the Written Answer by Lord Young of Cookham on 25 January (HL4734), which Carillion contractshad a contingency plan put in place; what were the dates when such contingency plans became operable; what was the additional cost to Her Majesty's Government of each contingency plan; and which contracts did not execute a contingency plan.

lord young of cookham: The continuation of public services has and continues to be our primary focus. To that end, robust contingency plans have been developed by departments as part of routine contract management. Contingency plans for Carillion contracts were enacted once the decision was taken by the company to enter insolvency on 15 January.Project-level costs are not held centrally, but HM Treasury announced that it was providing £154m to the Official Receiver. It is too early to assess what the final financial position will be.

Crime: Statistics

lord mackenzie of framwellgate: To ask Her Majesty's Government whether there is a difference between the numbers of crimes reported to the police and the numbers of crimes published in the British Crime Survey for the same period; and, if so, what is their assessment of the reasons why.

lord young of cookham: An error has been identified in the written answer given on 08 February 2018.The correct answer should have been:

The information requested falls within the responsibility of the UK Statistics Authority. I have asked the Authority to reply and I will place a copy of their letter in the Library of the House.



UKSA Response 
(PDF Document, 130.95 KB)

lord young of cookham: The information requested falls within the responsibility of the UK Statistics Authority. I have asked the Authority to reply and I will place a copy of their letter in the Library of the House.



UKSA Response 
(PDF Document, 130.95 KB)

Government Departments: Procurement

lord patten: To ask Her Majesty's Government what is their assessment of the benefit to the taxpayer when Her Majesty's Government use companies that offer both construction and public services provision within one business.

lord young of cookham: UK public procurement policy is to award contracts on the basis of value for money through fair and open competition and in line with our current EU and international obligations. At the same time, we recognise the importance of managing relationships with Strategic Suppliers, including any risks to the operation of public services and the achievement of value for money. Our Strategic Supplier Risk Management Policy has been published on GOV.UK and a copy is attched.



Strategic  Supplier Risk Management Policy 
(PDF Document, 453.35 KB)

Public Sector: Contracts

lord bassam of brighton: To ask Her Majesty's Government what risk assessments they have carried out in the last five years of Capita and other companies to which public services provision has been outsourced; and which contracts relating to Capita are being reviewed or risk assessed.

lord young of cookham: We recognise the importance of managing relationships with Strategic Suppliers, including any risks to the operation of public services and the achievement of value for money for the taxpayer. Our Strategic Supplier Risk Management Policy has been attached.



Strategic  Supplier Risk Management Policy 
(PDF Document, 453.35 KB)

Low Incomes

baroness lister of burtersett: To ask Her Majesty's Government what assessment they have made of the indication in the Office for National Statistics' Statistical BulletinHousehold disposable income and inequality in the UK: financial year ending 2017, that the Department for Work and Pensions'Households below average income is a "better source for looking at income-based analysis" of inequality.

lord young of cookham: The information requested falls within the responsibility of the UK Statistics Authority. I have asked the Authority to reply and I will place a copy of their letter in the Library of the House.



UKSA Response 
(PDF Document, 179.88 KB)

Department for International Trade

Iron and Steel: Overseas Trade

lord taylor of warwick: To ask Her Majesty's Government what action they are taking to prevent adverse impacts on the steelindustryof future trade deals.

baroness fairhead: While seeking greater access to overseas markets, such as through future trade agreements, the Government remains committed to using trade remedy measures in line with WTO rules to ensure that our domestic industries are protected from unfair and injurious trade practices, such as dumping and subsidies.

Trade Agreements: USA

lord teverson: To ask Her Majesty's Government what agreements they have entered into with United States counterparts over the past six months regarding the availability of public information about the details or progress of trade negotiations between the UK and the US.

baroness fairhead: As outlined in the Trade White Paper - ‘Preparing for our Future UK Trade Policy’ - the UK is committed to a transparent approach to international trade. We have invited views on the UK’s approach to future trade agreements, and engagement with stakeholders is ongoing. On 9th November 2017 the UK and US exchanged letters on mutually agreed protocols for the treatment of information exchanged in the course of the Trade and Investment Working Group. It does not pre-judge the UK’s approach to transparency regarding the details or progress of negotiations. Further details can be found here: https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/arrangement-for-exchanging-information-during-the-uk-us-trade-and-investment-working-group



Letter - UK/US T&I Working Group
(PDF Document, 1.93 MB)




Letter - UK/US T&I Working Group
(PDF Document, 103.89 KB)

Trade Agreements

lord teverson: To ask Her Majesty's Government what assessment they have made of the need for transparency around trade negotiations; and at what stage in the negotiation of new trade agreements they will release information to Parliament and the public on (1) the subjects under discussion, and (2) potential changes in UK laws and policies being contemplated as part of future trade agreements.

baroness fairhead: As outlined in the Trade White Paper - ‘Preparing for our Future UK Trade Policy’ – the UK remains committed to a transparent, fair, and rules-based approach to international trade and has invited views on the UK’s approach to its future trade policy including future trade agreements. The Department has undertaken a comprehensive series of engagement activities to ensure a wide range of stakeholder views are gathered. These views will inform our trade policy and legislative framework for future agreements and will help to develop the appropriate processes for public and parliamentary scrutiny. No decisions have yet been taken as stakeholder consultations are ongoing.We will continue to respect the role of Parliament when agreeing the terms of future trade agreements.

Trade Agreements

baroness tonge: To ask Her Majesty's Government what plans, if any, they have to seek to include a clause promoting the principles of human rights and democracy in any post-Brexit trade deals.

baroness fairhead: The UK has a strong history of protecting human rights. The UK was the first country to produce a National Action Plan for the implementation of the UN Guiding Principles on Business and Human Rights. The UK is also a voting member of the UN Human Rights Council. The UK was a founding member of the UN Human Rights Council and has served as a member of the Council for the majority of its 12-year lifespan. UK has long supported the promotion of these values globally and this will continue as we leave the EU. We are committed to upholding the UK’s high standards. We are exploring all options in the design of future trade agreements.

Women and Equalities

Females: Directors

lord allen of kensington: To ask Her Majesty's Government what assessmentthey have made of progress towards the target of at least 33per cent representation of women on the combined executive committee and direct reports to the executive committee in all FTSE100 companies by 2020.

baroness williams of trafford: In 2017, the FTSE 100 had 25.2% women in executive committees and direct reports. This had barely changed from 2016, showing that robust action is needed from businesses to achieve the Hampton-Alexander Review’s target of 33% by 2020.To increase the level of ambition, the Hampton-Alexander Review has now extended the executive pipeline target of 33% women from the FTSE 100 to the wider FTSE 350 – around 1 in 2 of all new appointments needing to go to women to achieve this target by 2020. We will continue to support the Review to work collaboratively with business to disseminate the importance of diversity in executive roles.